ASA International Design Competition 2018 : VEX Agitated Vernacular

This year’s ASA International Design Competition aims to upend the typical associations of vernacular architecture and design. The term ‘VEX’ can be approached from a multitude of perspectives, all to challenge, or agitate, the stereotypes of what vernacular should or should not be.

One tends to assume that vernacular architecture is in opposition to modern architecture and lifestyle. There is the perception that vernacular is something that is traditional and therefore is considered to be technologically ‘inept’ or ‘crude’ . This relegates vernacular design to irrelevance in today’s society and also implies that it is immutable and static, and ‘unimprovable’

The challenge of the competition is for participants to create a new type of vernacular with characteristics not commonly associated with vernacular design. The competition is looking to showcase new vernacular design that is mutable, inventive and capable of self-renewal.

The goal is to re-think vernacular as something that can assume performative roles and possess generative potentials. The Jury will reward entrants that can demonstrate vernacular design that is dynamic and is particularly suited to innovation, invention and relevance.

VEX asks: How can Vernacular agitate the status quo?
– Can Vernacular be a catalyst, a variable, a process, rather than a static element?
– Can Vernacular be a language from which others can spring from and use?

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS :
Each submission must include the following contents:
1. The participant can select any specific site as the site of their design. The subject can be architecture, urban design or interior design.
2. After identifying the site, provide conceptual drawings, analytical drawings, sections, plans, renderings or perspective drawings in any scale. Demonstrate how vernacular quality modifies the subject and the resulting design outcome.

ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE :
– Open to students, architects, urban planners, designers, artists and thinkers.
– Submit as an individual or as a team.
– No restrictions on age, gender or nationality.
– No limits on the number of submissions.
– Work cannot be published elsewhere before.
– Submission cannot be built work or completed projects.
– The entrant should have legal rights and copyrights to all the material submitted. If the project contains any material or elements that are not owned by the entrant, the submission shall be excluded from any consideration. If it is later known that rights have been violated, the prize and award will be recalled.
– The copyright of the project belongs to the entrant.
– All materials submitted may be displayed and/or published at the discretion of The Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage